FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

The National Assembly on Thursday witnessed frustration of a grassroots political leader on the existing political culture and dictatorial attitude of political parties' leadership and urged the members to challenge them.
Javed Hashmi who remained vocal critic of military dictatorship and was sent to jail many a times during his political carriers spanning over three decades seems to have lost faith in the existing political system as he was seen inciting parliamentarians to challenge the undemocratic attitude of their party leaders, and rightly so.
The absence of democratic culture, intolerance and nepotism in the political parties is largely considered to be major hindrance that does not allow democracy to flourish. Thus personal relationship and not merit is considered important by the top leadership of political parties in awarding key posts to their favourites after coming into power. So, they deliver according to the wishes of their leaders and not in the best national interest, leaving the poor to suffer for their leaders to become rich. So when people like Javed Hashmi incite members to challenge their leadership, in fact they try to serve the country.
After having seen closely leadership of his own party as well as others, Javed Hashmi firmly believes unless a genuine leadership, having strong love for the country, takes the driving seat real change cannot happen. As he went on speaking, most of the people in the press gallery quipped that Hashmi was speaking out the mind of common citizen of the country who believes that present leadership is totally oblivious to their problems. Hashmsi said that the leadership of the country has shifted their businesses and other assets aboard and their sole purpose is to remain in power to maintain their hold instead of serving the common man.
These views did not come from a fresh member but from the politician who remained in the Parliament since 1985 and known for his struggle against the last military regime. After the removal of his party's government by General Pervez Musharraf, Hashmi became one of the most vocal critics of the military regime and was arrested from parliamentary lodges in 2003 on charges of inciting mutiny.
This was his first appearance in the Parliament after suffering a brain hemorrhage in July 2010 and the applause his speech received from across the political divide was demonstration of strong support to his views. Majority of the Parliamentarians from all the political parties not only lavishly supported his call for challenging the party leadership in the party meetings for the sake of the country, but also made a long queue to ostensibly congratulate him for taking a bold stance against undemocratic norms of political parties' leadership. On the basis of his decade's old experience in politics,
Hashmi's advice to his colleague irrespective of political affiliation was that they have to be bold in front of their leaders for the betterment of the country and vowed to do so within his own party.
Nothing is more important today than freeing Pakistan from the leadership of the political parties because they have nothing to lose if the country goes down. I am trying to awake you to save the country from going into Egypt and Tunis like chaos and stand up to represent the people instead of your leaders in the Parliament. We need to make Parliament strong as only a strong and vibrant legislature could take decisions to protect the country.